Landmule

Fantastic find! I'm thinking good thoughts for you. Keep us posted.

aron in toronto

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, but I'd be surprised if the seller lets it go for $3-5K. I've seen beat up rollers listed for nearly as much. Also the seller probably will not factor in the true cost of a restoration to get it up to a clean driver and then price it accordingly.
It looks like a very nice candidate for restoration and in a pretty color. I'll be following along, hoping the best outcome for you and the car.

It is a shame to see the direction that the PP thread took. It always seems to be a few that spoils it for the group.

cbracerx

Yes, it is going to be a challenge to get it at a fair price. It has been sitting for 14 years, and the value diminishing as it does so will have to be communicated. We all know it could be "emotional" in letting a dream go.

justinsrx7

I think after 14 years, the dream is dead...lol. The other problem is after letting it sit for 14 years, what's another 14 years. Obviously nothing pressing. Then there is the economy today and a chance to get a quick $5k. My brain hurts. What a great find. I hope you get it!

Dwane

Keep your emotions in check....It's in the stars.

Dwane

Daniel Dudley

Don't let the few drive you away from a good resource.

Keep us posted on the sleeping beauty.

dw1

Your thread has been reopened over at the madhouse Pelican sometimes becomes. Hopefully you will do both communities the honor of posting the ongoing (and jealousy-inducing) story, and the nonsense will be kept to a minimum.

Interesting that both groups came up with similar price suggestions.

BTW, I love that blue, esp. on longhoods.
_____________________
Dan
black/black '87 with mods

Kurt V

I would hazard it is worth less than $5K and you are looking at another $20K or more to restore. Personally this kind of car is a heartbreaker.

rusnak

next time, show up with a cashier's check. That communicates that you are serious. If he doesn't want to sell, then politely leave, and quietly give him your card. He'll probably call you back and sell it.

Nine11

Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

450knotOffice

I'm enjoying both of these threads (the one on Pelican and this one here). Good luck and keep us all posted.

cbracerx

Exactly! I want to buy it with the expectation that a full pan will be needed (oh please no torsion bar tube replacement though) and the engine will at least have to come completely apart and be resealed, with the usual "while I was there, I decided to make it an E, etc...".

dw1

Rusnak brings up a very good point.

I got my TR "barn find" some years ago by showing up cash in hand. Even though they said they were not interested in selling it for that price, we talked a bit more and then I pulled out the cash. As I counted out the bills, his eyes got real wide and the appeal of a cash deal became too much for him to resist.

This would also hopefully help you as it did me because you only bring the amount of money you are willing to spend.

And yes, I have walked away form other cars disappointed because they wouldn't take what I offered. But that ended up opening the door for better deals later on.

One of my first cars (a '67 Camaro) was also a cash deal, but assisted by showing up not only with cash in hand but also a six pack. Sitting on the hood of the car bs'ing and drinking more than a few beers certainly didn't hurt....
________________________________________________________________________

Incidentially, the NADA classic car price guide, which I have found to be reasonably accurate (but at least 10% - 20% optimistic for today's economy) lists the following for a '72 911T:
Original MSRP: $7250
Low Retail: $24,100
Avg. Retail: $27,400
High Retail: $36,700

To quote the NADA site:
-----------------------------------
Low Retail Value
This vehicle would be in mechanically functional condition, needing only minor reconditioning. The exterior paint, trim, and interior would show normal wear, needing only minor reconditioning. May also be a deteriorated restoration or a very poor amateur restoration. Most usable "as-is".

Note: This value does not represent a "parts car".
-----------------------------------

I mention all of this because it appears to be a car that would be worth the effort and expense. Assuming a $15K restoration cost to get it to the Low-Medium range, it puts the maximum acquisition cost in the 5K$ - 7K$ range for a reasonable chance at a break-even.

All this being said, a blue longhood is a beautiful car. How much do you want it, and how much time and effort do you want to spend working on it? Because buying parts for it and working on it would be your hobby for the next few years.

Me, I purposely decided to spend more up front and get a newer car in reasonably good condition - I'm a G50 3.2 guy. After several Brit cars (mostly TR's) I got tired of the whole frame-up resto thing, and wanted something I saw as better than my long-gone (and very tired) SC.

_____________________
Dan
black/black '87 with mods

Gojets!

This is brilliant. The "Homer Simpson" method of buying a car. This is good advice.

cbracerx

Thanks for the useful input Dan. As it turns out, I am also the owner of an '87 G50, which _used_ to have a 3.2. Since I cannot leave well enough alone I upgraded it to a 3.6, and then rebuilt that as a 3.8 RS. Lots of other upgrades too, but I think you get the idea. So while I tried, I really tried to get a "stock" car and just drive it, the itch was too much for me. I do think that getting my hands on a water cooled 911 (that does not sound right, but this is the wold we live in...) will cure some of the itch, if only because of the good performance out of the box and the complexity of modification to the drivetrain.

So - back to the blue longhood! The consensus seems to be around $6K for a "fair" purchase price. This jibes with what my gut was telling me over the weekend. I love the color and would like to preserve that, as blue 911's are my weak point...





I bought a 73.5 911 roller from the legendary Bruce Abbott many moons ago that was also a "barn find" of sorts - it was from a barn near the Southern New Jersey shore. Amazingly enough there was not a lot of rust. New front pan, RS flares, some paint and away we went. Aside from the love of the early 911 that this instilled in me, it also gave me a "signature color" I kept using for all my future racing projects - "Dalmation Blue". This was the original color on my 73, and was also called "Oxford Blue".

So, that was a long aside! Suffice it to say that the blue on this 72, while not as deep as the Dalmation, is very attractive to me. First impressions and all that....